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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25975138">You're Worth Fighting For</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl09/pseuds/Pearl09'>Pearl09</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Kisses and Feelings [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Kiss, Fluff, Hands, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, like this whole thing is about hands</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:40:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25975138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl09/pseuds/Pearl09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Geralt seems enchanted by Jaskier's hands. It definitely isn't because he wants to hold them <s>it totally is</s>.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Of Kisses and Feelings [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1855207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kisses Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You're Worth Fighting For</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kisses bingo prompt: Wrist kiss!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a lot that had to be done to take care of a lute properly. Frequent tuning and lots of oiling was something Geralt had grown used to whenever he and Jaskier settled in somewhere for the night. If they were at a tavern, he would tune it before he performed for the audience. Around the fire in the woods, he would tune it before he started testing out chords for a new song he was writing. At least once a week, he would clean it down with whatever oil he had on hand before stowing it back in its case.</p>
<p>Geralt never really paid it any attention, as he was too focused on gathering and cooking food for them to eat, or pondering over a contract he was given. But he always noticed its absence. The chirping birds and the crackling of the fire in front of him were his only companions, or the distant tumultuous crowd in the tavern that may include a bard that wasn’t half as good as Jaskier. The silence was always louder.</p>
<p>That’s why, when given the rare opportunity after everything was finished and Jaskier continued to hum as he played with chords, he decided to pay attention. He did so discreetly, however, not wanting to scare him off. So, sitting across the fire, he pretended to watch the flickering of the flames as Jaskier’s hands moved deftly up and down the frets, pressing the right string at the right moment, or even multiple strings with one finger. His other hand moved back and forth lightly as the tips of his fingers brushed the strings over the open hole to produce the melodic sound the lute was known for.</p>
<p>Occasionally, his fingers would move on to do something else. Sometimes, they would move up the neck of the lute to the pegs, twisting them ever so slightly to tighten or loosen the strings just a hair. Or, he would let go of the lute to pick up the parchment and quill next to him, quickly jotting down chords and lyrics alike.</p>
<p>“Do you like something you see?” Jaskier muttered after a while, and Geralt’s eyes jerked up to meet his and noticed the sly smile on his face. He turned away and didn’t say anything. Jaskier started strumming again after a pause, but this time, Geralt resolutely ignored him.</p>
<p>Except, he found it increasingly more difficult to ignore. His own hands were rough and calloused, having trained for years with swords and crossbows and scaling steep, rocky cliffs. He never thought of them other than an important part of his body, for without them he couldn’t function. Jaksier’s hands were quick and nimble, twisting and contorting in many different ways just to do something he liked, just to play an instrument. He actually took care of his hands, too. He used lotion, cleaned out from under his fingernails, and pushed his cuticles back to keep them from over growing. As someone who barely bothered to clean himself, it seemed strange to Geralt to put so much effort into the hands. They were constantly touching and moving and doing things, so why bother taking care of them if the next thing you were going to do was mess them up?</p>
<p>He suspected Jaskier was purposefully drawing his attention to them after that night, too. The times he played for just the two of them grew longer. More and more nights in the taverns he wouldn’t put the lute away as soon as they retired to their room, strumming lightly in the corner as if he had asked for an encore.</p>
<p>Geralt wasn’t sure why he seemed so fixated with his hands. Maybe it was how delicate they were, like a childs, and he thought it was something he needed to protect. Or maybe Jaskier’s performances weren’t all just about vocals. Maybe he had invented his own form of dancing as his hands fluttered up and down the lute, entrancing the viewer. There was always the possibility, too, that Geralt wanted nothing more to hold them in his, cradling the soft skin between his rough fingers. But he would never admit that out loud. He didn’t want to assume.</p>
<p>Of course, traveling with a witcher isn’t all fun and games. Geralt tried his best to keep Jaskier safe from monsters, to make him stay behind as much as possible so he doesn’t need to worry about protecting him while fighting. But too often he forgets about the other kinds of monsters too. The ones lurking in the alleyways of a town, or around the corner of a building, or even boasting loudly in the middle of a tavern. Jaskier has his fair share of enemies, just from picking the wrong bed to stay in for the night. But he was never supposed to pick up Geralt’s enemies, too.</p>
<p>Some nights, when everyone in the tavern was at least tipsy, they would start hurtling insults at Geralt. It was something he was used to, ever since his first year on the path. ‘Mutant’ was the most popular one, often combined with colorful expressions such as ‘son of a whore.’ He knew how to ignore them. Too often though, Jaskier would get up to defend him, or worse, be the target of these insults too, due to even being willing to stay around someone like him.</p>
<p>Geralt often had to pull Jaskier out of these situations.</p>
<p>He set the lute lightly on the ground and held onto Jaskier’s shoulder tightly with his other hand, resting him on the bed. Jaskier wiped at his face, smearing blood from his split lip across his chin even as he grinned. “We sure showed them who’s the better man.”</p>
<p>“Hmmm.” Considering Geralt was the one who knocked all of them out, he didn’t think Jaskier did much. Though, he supposed that still standing after such a fight was a feat in itself for him.</p>
<p>Geralt rummaged through his bag for the human first aid he had started carrying around for whenever Jaskier grew a little too careless. Bandages and a rag to clean him up. That would do it.</p>
<p>“If you had just let them be, you might not have gotten hurt,” he said as he poured water into a bowl, wringing the rag out into it.</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes. “Sure, I’ll ignore them when most of what they’re saying is completely false. If you don’t nip rumors before they bud, they only blossom into something even worse than you had imagined.” Tilting up his head, he let Geralt clean off his chin, the rough towel grazing his lips and making something in Geralt’s chest twist unnaturally.</p>
<p>“Witchers aren’t well liked. We’re always surrounded by rumors.”</p>
<p>“And that’s exactly why I set out to travel with you! I promised you, on that first day we met, that I would help the public change their attitude about you. Sure, that was mainly because I could tell your dislike over the title they had given you at the time, but I don’t still follow you around because I have nothing better to do. You’re my friend, Geralt. My best friend. You’re worth fighting for.”</p>
<p>He frowned and took one of Jaskier’s hands in his, gently running the towel over his bruised and bloodied knuckles. For Jaskier to truly, honestly consider him a friend – how had he let their relationship pass along this far without him noticing? He never really thought Jaskier cared for him. Just like everyone else in his life, he expected Jaskier to move on eventually. But, every time they ran into each other, there he was, hands eager to write down every detail Geralt would give them, itching to pull out his lute and see if he could make a song from it.</p>
<p>Geralt didn’t know how to explain his emotions as he wrapped a bandage around Jaskier’s hand. How to express his gratitude to Jaskier for staying by his side, even if he never noticed. Even if sometimes, he actively tried to push him away. He was a fool, thinking he was ever meant to be alone. Thinking he could ever be alone. For truly, Jaskier’s absences never went by unnoticed. </p>
<p>His fingers lingered after he secured the bandage, and before he could think, he brought Jaskier’s hand to his face and kissed the underside of his wrist, right on top of the pressure point. He delighted at feeling Jaskier’s heart speed up under the brush of his lips and sought the feeling out on his other wrist, too, once it was bandaged.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he murmured after letting go of his hands, turning away. One of them caught him before he could leave, however, grabbing onto his upper arm and pulling him back.</p>
<p>“I should be the one thanking you,” Jaskier said, brushing a loose strand of hair out of Geralt’s face as he turned to look at him. He surged forward and pressed a chaste kiss against Geralt’s lips, but it quickly deepened as Geralt kissed back enthusiastically.</p>
<p>Jaskier’s hands tangled in Geralt’s hair as he pulled him closer, pressing warm and gentle against his scalp. He mirrored them with his own, afraid that his hands were too rough for Jaskier, but he leaned into the touch, craving it, and Geralt knew he wouldn’t let go for a while. He would savor the moment for as long as he could, and a long time after. And, hopefully, Jaskier would be willing to recreate more moments like these with him in the future.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find me <a href="https://pearlll09.tumblr.com/">here on tumblr!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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